世界需要大老板

    下列情况离不开老板：

紧急情况下，需要快速决断并做出响应

    在危机情况下，没有多少时间进行充分的讨论，因此人们希望老板能够果断地给出明确的指令。作为老板，需要快速收集信息，找出替代方案，然后果断采取行动。

解决团队中纠缠不休的分歧

    有时候，必须老板作出抉择，团队才能继续前进。老板需要向团队成员解释做出决策的理由，尤其是那些持有不同意见的员工，不过，在这种情况下，大多数人会选择前进而不是让团队陷入僵局。这也是上面提到的杂志社所面临的主要问题。

保证团队忠实于自己的标准

    如果团队内部出现了违反了共同价值观的情况，比如事关团体的工作质量、遵守期限、公平原则、对不同意见的包容性，或者对其他团队需求的认可等，此时，老板必须介入。

坚持目标，保持界限

    这是管理与领导的核心。目标与策略的意义在于：“去这里，而不是那里。”预算同样会设定限制。政策、法律、规定和道德准则则会划定行为规范。针对特定的任务给出指导方针，比如“不能超过这个限制”或者“开支不能超过X美元”等，可以对特定的人和事设定限制范围。

    权威只是一个工具，目的是用来界定一个团队的活动范围和底线。团队成员当然应该参与这些限制的制定，但是一旦确立下来，人们还是希望由老板来强制执行。

确保团队专注于最重要的事情

    武断地发号施令很少会产生良好的效果，但老板可以让团队成员关心需要注意的领域。比如，如果老板担心客户服务质量下降，他就可以让每位员工回访10名客户，了解客户对服务的看法，而不是推出新的流程。老板通过分配任务，提出问题，可以帮助团队成员自行发现问题，分清轻重缓急。

    当然，在上面提到的情况中，并不是光靠行使职权就可万事大吉。一旦公司出现这些情况，老板必须利用手中的职权，保持团队的专注度和工作效率。

Bosses are needed in these situations:

To respond quickly and decisively in emergencies

    In a crisis, when there's little time for full discussion, people will look to you for clear and decisive direction. You'll want to gather information quickly, identify alternatives, and then take decisive action.

To resolve disagreements that the group cannot address by itself

    There are situations when you must make a choice so the group can move forward. You'll have to explain the reasons for your decision, especially to those who preferred some other choice, but most people in these circumstances will prefer progress to impasse. This was the primary problem at the magazine.

Keeping the group true to its own standards

    You need to step in when something is pushing your group to violate one of its mutual values, whether it has to do with the quality of the group's work, sticking to a deadline, fairness, openness to opposing points of view, or recognizing the needs of other groups.

Maintaining goals and boundaries

    This is a core concept of management and leadership. Goals and strategies say, "Go here, not there." Budgets set limits. Policies, laws, regulations, and ethics create borders. And coming up with guidelines for specific tasks -- "don't go further than this" or "don't spend more than X dollars" -- shape the constraints to specific circumstances and individuals.

    Authority is a tool for defining a group's playing field and goal lines. While members should participate in setting these constraints, once they're set, people will expect you, the boss, to enforce them.

To keep the focus on what matters most

    Handing out arbitrary orders and directions rarely works well, but you can focus people on areas of concern. Suppose you fear customer service is deteriorating. Instead of imposing new procedures, have your staff talk to 10 customers each about service. Such assignments, along with asking questions, for example, can lead people to discover problems and priorities for themselves.

    These are not cases where it's merely okay to exercise authority. When they appear, you must use your authority to keep your group focused and productive.